Forsaken
by Pluto's Daughter 14
Summary: Family comes first yet the flock left Max at the school. Injected with new DNA and thrust into the familiar place with regular beatings and torment Jeb helps her escape. Distressed and forsaken she confides in Dylan who also escapes with her. With the end of the world on her shoulders and her anger towards the flock Max tries to move on. But hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn.
1. Chapter 1

"They're never coming for you, you may as well give up now." The voice was cold and soft-spoken. He held the needle close to her throat and the blonde glared at him defiantly. She had claw marks that marred her once clear face; they were red showing that it was recent. Her lip was busted and her bare arms were covered in scars both new and old. Her brown eyes were dull but they still held a spark of anger and determination as she clenched her jaw and tugged at her restraints. Her back ached from being strapped down so tightly on the cold, metallic table. Her shirt was torn and stained in blood as were her shorts. Her long hair was somewhat matted and she had gotten thinner from lack of nourishment.

"No, my family will come for me." She insisted stubbornly but she was on the brink of insanity. Her eyes had adjusted to the large, blinding light that stood over her; this wasn't the first time she had been trapped in the research room. She didn't know how long she'd been trapped in the school, days, weeks, months, it felt like years. Each day wearing her down like someone would the soles of their shoes by constantly running in them. She hated feeling the hopeless atmosphere, watching other experiments die, taking a beating anytime she talked back, and constantly thrown into the training room with other experiments for observation. A large part of her wanted the flock to save her, but at the same time she didn't, she didn't want Fang to bring them here and risk their safety. She didn't want any of them to sleep in dog crates anymore. And that's what got her through the long days, knowing that the flock wasn't crammed inside a cage like rabid animals.

The man let out a bone-chilling laugh,"It's been three months Max, they're not coming for you! You've been abandoned. If they miraculously attempted to safe you they'd be trapped here as well. Funny how they forget their savior so easily, I mean, you sacrificed yourself for them. We both know Angel should have been here, not you." He had a sadistic smile on his face making Max feel sick to her stomach. She didn't want to believe the flock had so easily given up on her but it's been three months and no sight of them. It was for best, she tried telling herself but it hurt knowing that they hadn't even been spotted near the school or anything.

The white coat was ominously leaning over her, smugness radiated off of him like heat from a heater. He was bald and had a shaggy, black beard. He wore dark tinted glasses that covered his eyes. He was lanky and tall, but despite his lack of muscle and strength Max still saw him as a threat.

"Well she's not! I am!" She smiled wryly despite her entire body aching,"As Britney Spears once said, hit me with your best shot!" She spat in his face and he instantly recoiled. She smirked, she had to keep mentally fighting or she'd be broken. It's come to the point where she had to force herself to be witty and snappy and humorous. It was hard to swallow that she was trapped here again but she couldn't sit back and wallow in grief of being physically and mentally beat. She had to survive. She was glad she took Angel's place; she didn't want her little girl to be here.

The man looked furious, a vein appeared on his forehead and he held the needle tightly,"I can't wait to break you Max, it won't take much longer." He spat and rammed the needle into her arm. She let out a cry of pain and her back arched slightly. There was a burning sensation that quickly spread throughout her body and she shook violently. What was happening to her? The scientist laughed and her vision became blurry before she blacked out. Maybe she'd get lucky and they'd kill her.

There was a loud clang and Max leapt to her feet, her ears rang and she covered her them. What was that?

"Here's your food freak." A gruff voice muttered as he slid her food into the cage, two eggs and a piece of dry toast. She already knew the food tasted like dirt, she only ate if she was starving…which was all the time.

She opened her eyes immediately and glared at the scientist,"At least I don't steal babies and experiment on them like a creep." She shot back and the man merely snorted before leaving the room."Wait! I request butter! You serve me remember Dexter!" She yelled and couldn't help but snicker a little at her taunt. That's how lonely she felt, on a daily bases she talked to herself knowing she was the only one who would listen, laughing at her own thoughts and at night she would occasionally let a few tears slide down her cheeks. She was tough around everyone else and she'd never express her grief in front of the white coats, that would show weakness and she needed to be strong, she had to show them that they couldn't break her so easily. She would sometimes pretend the flock was with her and imagine them saying things and interacting with her. It was nice but she knew she was living in a dream, reality was too much of a nightmare for her.

She felt slightly betrayed by the fact that the flock hadn't come for her, she knew it was unsafe but she wished they attempted to save her. It's been three months! Three months of loneliness, beatings, mental torment, and slight trauma as Erasers slaughtered failed experiments right in front of her. They would mercilessly rip out their hearts or bite their throats until they stopped struggling. They'd do it in front of her cage just because they knew she couldn't handle it. She'd look away and get chills as they let out screams from being ripped to shreds. She could still hear them. Bones snapping, skin tearing, screams that pierced the air with eeriness and suffering. She wished she was with Angel right now and lovingly doting on her, ruffle Gazzy's hair and warn him about his extreme pranks, hear Nudge never stop talking about boys and shopping, get shown up by blind Iggy in cooking, and to be in Fang's brooding presence. She craved that more than she did a normal bed, good food, a shower, and feeling slightly safe. Her heart ached with longing and it was painful to deal with.

With a weary sigh Max sat up and suddenly a thousand smells washed over her nose, it smelled terrible and she let out a gagging noise. She could smell everything from urine, to sweat, to BO, to blood, to dead corpses. She plugged her nose and frowned, this was definitely new. Usually she couldn't smell things this well. She rubbed her eyes and noticed that she could see amazingly well in the dark, musty room.

"Bout time you woke up." A voice chuckled and she snorted before looking at her new cage partner. Most of the time none of them stayed long and it didn't surprise her when any of them randomly appeared.

"Who are you? What's your weird DNA stuff?" She found that she could see the boy perfectly in the dark. He had sandy, blonde hair. He had broad shoulders and was smiling at her widely. His face was riddled in scars as well was his arms, it was obvious that he and been in here a long time as well. He looked to be around her age.

"Dylan, I can't really see you but I've heard a lot about you Max, you really bug the Erasers and scientists I hear. I'm like you, wings and all." He shrugged and Max felt slightly thrilled that there was someone else like her. She knew that she shouldn't get attached; she did the first time when they threw an experiment in there with her. A little boy, age six, mixed with a bison. He was with her for weeks and his name was Jack. He was like Gazzy, so full of mirth and happiness despite the awful situation they were in. Whenever an Eraser or scientist would walk in he snuggled into her side and she'd protect him. They would stay up talking about escaping and being happy, Max swore she would never leave him. She had begun to love him; he gave her something to hope for. Then one day they took him...she never saw him after that. She lapsed into a depression and she had to force herself to get over Jack. She vowed to stay away from anyone else, just for the sake of her survival.

Before she could speak the cage flew open and two Erasers grabbed her, she jumped and tried to resist them,"Let me go you oversized mutts!" She yelled and one of them reached out to grab her throat. Her instincts overcame her and she bit his hand as hard as possible. The Eraser let out a roar and blood seeped into Max's mouth, it was disgusting but she didn't let go. The other wolf man gave her a hard smack for the face and she yelped and unclamped her jaws from his hand. Her cheek stung and she was seeing stars.

"Hey leave her alone!" Dylan yelled and the unharmed Eraser snarled at him in return. Max was grateful that the boy stood up for her but it was fruitless seeing as he was locked in the cage.

She recognized the Eraser that hit her as Ari,"Always making things difficult Max! You're just going to the training room!" He laughed and she cringed, she hated it there. Ari snatched her hands and the other Eraser grabbed her feet. She had almost escaped from lack of secureness by the Erasers so now they had to be even more careful around her. She didn't attempt to struggle this time as they made their way to the training room.

"Hey Ari, do you ever wonder how you can be so ugly? And annoying?" Max asked nonchalantly as she dangled from the way they were holding her.

Ari snorted,"Better than being weak and stupid enough to sacrifice myself for others."

Max frowned,"I'm not weak. And you sacrifice your life trying to hunt us for the white coats. You guys could kill all of them you know, free the experiments. You're just as trapped as I am." She murmured, if she wanted to get out of here she needed to make new plans. Maybe she could talk to Dylan? They could devise some special plan to escape. She was loosing hope by the day and she knew there was a slim chance she could escape. Maybe she could get close to a white coat...gosh that sounded like an awful plan seeing as she hated every one of them and vice versa.

Ari let out a growl,"Shut up." He muttered before they entered the training room. It wasn't much, it was a giant room that was bare, they would put her in here and sick the Erasers on her to see how long she could hold them off. The scientists would sit and observe her through another room, what kept her from them was a glass window which was somehow unbreakable (she's tried several times to break it) leading her to believe it wasn't glass. They would speak through an intercom to her and give her instructions for certain things they wanted her to do. The room was entirely white and sometimes it was hard to see. The Erasers shoved Max into the room and slammed the steel door shut. Max knew the drill and walked to the center of the room, the scientists watched her carefully and to her annoyance they began scribbling on clipboards.

"Are you kidding me? Are we grading my walking now?" She snapped angrily and they looked up at her before back down at their clipboards. She sighed, she hated this place, if she could she would have set the entire place on fire.

One of the woman scientists leaned forward,"Good morning test subject. Can you tell me how you're feeling at the moment?" She asked and Max rolled his eyes, she would have thought they'd learn not to ask her questions anymore. The white coat adjusted her glasses as she stared at Max intently; it was like she was waiting for a baby to say their first words, except the woman had no affection for her whatsoever.

"I feel like you're the dumbest person on the planet. I'm trapped in hell with halfwits like you, how do you think I feel? I actually think you're dumbing me down." She said snidely while crossing her arms over her chest,"Now shut up with the stupid questions and tell me what to do. My name is Max by the way, what's yours? Four eyes?" One of the male white coats started laughing making Four eyes smack his shoulder and glare at him.

The woman turned her attention back to Max,"Very well. You will run through an obstacle course as quickly as possible, then afterwards we want to test your climbing abilities-"

Max cut her off,"You're an idiot. How are you considered a scientist! Why would I work on climbing skills when I have wings? Is this your first day on the job or something?" The man started laughing again and all scientists glared at him. Max felt pretty accomplished that she had made a white coat genuinely laugh, usually she made them laugh cruelly but this guy had a sense of humor.

A different man took the microphone from the woman before speaking into it,"Max we've added to your DNA and we'd like to see how well its worked out." Max froze, that explained the night vision, hearing, and sense of smell. They made her even more of a freak then she already was and she felt like someone had socked her in the stomach. She found it hard to breathe, not only was she stuck here, the flock wouldn't come for her, and Jack was most likely dead, but now she had more animal DNA in her.

"What did you mix me with!" She roared and her disbelief quickly morphed into rage. "You're all sick! I was normal! I was human! I'm still a human and you treat me like crap, like a beaten down dog just because you throw animal stuff in me! Humans are animals too!" She screamed and gripped her hair tightly before pacing the room angrily. They added more crap to her and now she was queen of the freaks!

"Calm down, you don't want us to send in the shock rods do you?" He warned and she stopped pacing before glaring murderously at him. The shock rods were four Erasers that came in with electric sticks and beat her with them if she performed a task incorrectly, didn't preform the task at all, or mouthed off too much. They were trying to do everything in their power to break her but they'd have to try a lot harder to do so. She kept quiet and the man continued,"We mixed you with a tiger. This will make you more agile and more in tune with your surroundings. You'll be a lot stronger and faster, more efficient when killing. You're the first subject we've tested this on. We're not sure how this will work out." He shrugged but all the white coats looked eager to see Max in action. She scowled, she was like the freak show at the circus, people just wanted to see her do something weird and cool. Tiger, they mixed her with a cat. Why would they try to make her more advanced when they knew she loathed all of them? Before she had more time to think it through a large obstacle course appeared, she didn't remember seeing it when she walked in and didn't know how they had done that.

She just shook her head before turning to her assignment,"When I get out of here, I'm going to come back and kill all of you." She vowed before sprinting towards the obstacles. The first one was a small, wooden tunnel that was pretty wide. She didn't feel in control of her body as she dove to the floor with ease and rolled under the tunnel. She popped up and looked at the wooden wall in front of her.

"No use of wings Max or we'll bring in the shock rods." The man warned and Max didn't pay him any mind as claws unsheathed themselves from her fingernails and toenails. She didn't get the luxury of shoes at the school, which was unfortunate, nor did she have time to be surprised about her new claws. She jumped and hooked her claws into the wall before climbing. It took quite a bit of strength for her to claw her way to the top. Her muscles ached and she noticed that there was a long drop from atop the wall. She saw a bar waiting halfway down for her, it was hooked to a large metal pole sticking out of the ground. With a mighty leap she soared and for a moment she wondered if she was flying. She hadn't gotten to fly for three months; any attempt would lead to a beating. The air hitting her face made her smile but her small pleasure ended too soon as gravity took its toll. She reached out and grabbed the bar before swinging forward and to everyone's shock she landed on all fours perfectly.

"Excellent job, see you didn't need wings." The white coat encouraged as Max ran forward like a tiger would. Hearing this made her tick and suddenly she didn't care if they sent in shock rods. Why was she suddenly obedient towards them, she knew she'd feel a lot of pain but she couldn't stop fighting. She was a tiger and she would kill them, she didn't have to listen to anyone! She didn't usually think this way, the killing part, but maybe it was the adrenaline mixed with anger and her new DNA that made her act so enraged and defiant. She pounced onto a log and leaped into the air, she unfurled her wings making them rip her shirt even more than it already was. She gave a strong flap and relished the feeling of the wind ruffling her feathers. She hadn't felt this free in such a long time. She had noticed that her wings were a different color rather than their previous brown they were now black like a tiger's stripes.

The man looked infuriated,"Max get down and put your wings away. Finish the obstacle course-" He was cut off by a loud roar that erupted from the blonde's lips. This shocked all the scientists into silence; Max continued surprising herself today. She remained in the air while glaring daggers at the white coats, her claws were extended and her teeth were bared. Her canines had grown ten centimeters, just like a tigers, and she yelled profanities at the white coats. She felt powerful as she landed onto the ground with her wings still outstretched and her fangs and claws out. She stalked towards the window and continued screaming at them until she heard footsteps approaching the steel door. She felt as though the tiger was controlling her body as her ears twitched and she crouched in a defensive position. She began growling and she tucked her wings in.

Suddenly the door burst open and three Erasers walked in but they were weaponless,"Max we don't wish to hurt you. We'll have to contain you temporarily before sending you back to your cage. If you just calm down and come quietly we won't punish you later." The man, she decided to call him Bob because he looked like a Bob, said threateningly.

Max laughed,"I'm not afraid of you!" She bellowed before lunging towards the first Eraser and sinking her claws in his chest, she brought her claws down with great power across his face. Her speed surprised everyone. He screamed and she heard the other Erasers rush towards her. She jumped off of him and pounced onto his friend. He fell to the ground and she drove her claws into his heart with tremendous force making him go limp. She heard one of them take a step towards her and she rolled to the side before standing to her feet. She took a hard swing with her fist but he caught it and was about to crush it before she kicked him where the sun don't shine. He let out a howl and she wrenched her hand free before grabbing his neck and smashing his face into the glass that the white coats hid behind. The glass didn't even crack but it was enough to make the white coats jump in fear.

She looked at them coldly and bared her teeth at them,"Let me go now." She said slowly before putting her other hand on the Eraser's head and with a quick jerk she twisted it. There was a loud snap making the white coats jump again. She shoved the dead body away from her and let out another roar. She wanted out of the prison she was being held in, she didn't belong here.

She wasn't typically like this but she had lost it. This time when more Erasers flooded into the room with shock rods she didn't resist, one of them hit her in the stomach making her fall to one knee and shake from the electricity. She didn't take her eyes off the people observing her, another rod hit her in her back. She fell to the ground and shook from the searing hot pain that erupted into her body. Finally one came down on the back of her head and she fell unconscious.

"You remember the plan right Dylan?" Jeb asked and the blonde nodded from his cage,"Remember you're her soul mate. You're literally made for Max. I injected you with bear DNA so you're strong enough to fight with her. You guys need to get out of here tonight understand? They'll use you two to be perfect soldiers, if they have you two well...we're in big trouble. You two would be pros at slaughtering and...you're more advanced then those stupid mutts. They're already inventing things to control you two with." Jeb said grimly and Dylan nodded again,"Good, protect my daughter at all costs." Jeb murmured,"Don't go back to the flock immediately, lay low because they don't care about the flock as much as they do you two. You lead them there and they'll take all of you and most likely kill Max's companions. Make sure she lives."

Dylan smiled slightly,"Don't worry sir, no one will touch her with me around."

He glared at him,"Don't get any ideas, touch her in any inappropriate way and you'll be sorry." Jeb snapped, Max was still his daughter and he was protective of her.

Dylan laughed,"I understand. I won't."

"And remember, you have to lie if she asks. I haven't been here the entire time, I just came to save her understand? Don't let it slip out that I'm still working here." Jeb warned and Dylan nodded seriously. Jeb stood up and ducked behind a couple of dog crates once the doors opened. Dylan couldn't see very well but he could make out two Erasers dragging a limp body. They made a beeline for his cage and his eyes widened once he realized that the body was Max. They opened the cage door; one of them kicked Dylan in the face for being too close to the entrance. He recoiled and fell backwards, his eye was throbbing painfully and he grunted. The Erasers, surprisingly, set Max down gently and shut the cage door. Once they left Dylan scrambled over to Max quickly and tilted her head up slightly, he couldn't see in the dark much to his frustration.

He didn't instantly love Max because she was his soul mate, he didn't even know her. But he knew she would come to love him and he her. He already liked her tough personality,"Max, Max wake up." He whispered urgently but she was out cold.

Suddenly Jeb opened the cage,"Carry her, you have the strength. Just get her out of here. Explain to her what happened, stay in a wooded area the many scents will confuse the Erasers." Jeb swallowed thickly,"Tell her I love her okay?"

Dylan scooped Max into his arms bridal style and exited the cage,"I will. Please just get us out of here sir." He begged; Dylan too had been in school for a while. It wasn't pleasant at all. Jeb led the way and Dylan followed closely. Once more light shown on the trio Dylan took a good look at Max for the first time. Scars marked her face and arms and her matted, blonde hair had streaks of blood in it. Her cheeks were a rosy red and her lips were curved in a small smile, she muttered something before leaning her head against his chest. He smiled softly, she wasn't gorgeous but she was pretty, he wondered how she looked when she was nice and cleaned up. He was glad she wasn't extremely attractive at the moment with a nice clear face, because if she were then how would she be able to relate to his scars and physical pain? It showed that she was a constant fighter, just like him.

**Man I've been gone a while. Sorry I've been really busy. I love ****Maximum Ride. I'm leaving Percy Jackson to my sister. SO tell me what you think! Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Max woke up slowly, her entire body ached and the blood that decorated her open wounds had dried. Her vision was slightly blurry and a million scents slammed into her nose at once. Water, smoke, animals, and the pine from trees all mixed together making her wrinkle her nose and cough. She definitely wasn't at the School anymore...wait...she wasn't at School anymore! Her vision sharpened and she sat up quickly despite the pain in her body. She was in a forest clearing, she was lying next to a pond and a tent was set up next to her. A fire not to far away blazed brightly and she frowned, as much as she'd love to dance a jig and let out a triumphant laugh she had no clue what was happening.

Was this some random test from the white coats? Would Erasers soon attack her? She was fourteen for goodness sakes and she worried about survival, fighting, and running rather than boys, high school, and friends like a normal teenager. She loved having wings and having the capability to fly but she also infused with tiger DNA now so she was even more supernatural than before. She hated the fact that half the time she had no clue what was going on, she couldn't plan out her future, she couldn't have a family at the state of things, and she couldn't' even see her flock at the moment. Her flock. How were they? Did they somehow rescue her? Where were they? She felt hope arise from within her as she smiled to herself, she couldn't wait to see them again, she knew they didn't abandon her. They finally came for her and she was elated.

She rolled over slowly and shakily stood to her feet, she was sore from her previous beating but at the moment she didn't care. She craved to hear Nudge never stop talking, or hear Gazzy mimic her, or see Fang broodily glare at everyone because he was always in a bad mood. Just the thought of seeing him made her smile widen, she knew her best friend would come for her. Sure he was a stoic jerk but he was family and she loved him. Not in that way...maybe she had a crush on him but she was far from in love with him. She was so excited that she hadn't noticed someone put a hand on her shoulder. It was a large hand and she expected it to be Fang. Her cheeks turned warm and she whirled around before engulfing the man into a hug.

"I knew you'd save me!" She enthused,"But next time be faster! I was-" She stopped when she realized that this wasn't Fang. She recognized his familiar scent and took a step away from him.

"D-Dylan? How?" She couldn't help but feel depression sweep over her. Fang and the flock hadn't saved her; they still didn't show up for her. She fought back tears of sadness and frustration, they were supposed to save her, and she'd do the same for them without another thought. Maybe she was being a tad bit selfish but she missed them. She knew it was dangerous but she wished they had saved her rather than a random stranger.

Dylan had scratches all over his face as well and a black eye, it was clear that the white coats had treated him just as brutally as they did her. He was extremely muscular and like her his clothes were torn nearly to shreds. He wore a white shirt stained in blood and white pants in the same state. The School had developed uniforms for the experiments and they consisted of all white colors. His sandy, blonde hair was ruffled and his blue eyes assessed her curiously. It was as though he was sizing her up and she narrowed her eyes as she planned on how to take him down if necessary. He was pretty muscular but she was light on her feet, especially now since cat DNA was put in her.

Dylan bit his lip and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly,"Jeb came and saved us after...you were beat." He explained,"The School was going to use us as super soldiers. You and I are more skilled than their toughest Erasers. They injected me with some sort of bear DNA. Jeb snagged us some supplies before he told us to stay in the forest." Max perked at the mention of Jeb, her fatherly figure who had disappeared when she was younger. He came for her? She smiled slightly at the thought of him, she loved Jeb and the thought of him coming for her made her happy. She mentally hit herself; this could all just be a trap, some fake simulator to give her false hope. Or maybe Dylan is actually an Eraser as well. Her paranoia had increased frequently with her three months in hell; it had felt like three years, she didn't trust anyone or anything.

She gave Dylan a suspicious look,"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Why would the school want her as a super solider? She was one of the most stubborn experiments they've ever encountered. Getting her to work hard in the training room was like pulling teeth. The thought would have seemed more illogical had they not injected her with new animal DNA making her stronger in everyday imaginable. She felt like she could process things faster, her senses were sharper, and she was faster and stronger. The more she thought of it the more likely it seemed.

He frowned,"Why would I lie?" She didn't have a good reason of why he would but she'd have to be skeptical. She could hear the slow pound of his pulse, which meant that so far he hadn't been lying. She decided not to act on her instincts strictly because she didn't know if she could trust them yet.

Max crossed her arms over her chest,"Why wouldn't you?" The corner of Dylan's mouth curled slightly as he looked at Max. She stood tall and defiant, her brown eyes narrowed as she glared at him, her blonde hair framed her face perfectly despite it being matted and tangled, and her jaw was clenched. Trust issues, something Dylan struggled with as well.

"You got me! I stay in school about as long as you have and I've decided that, despite me constantly getting tested and beaten, I'm loyal to the white coats." He snorted sarcastically and Max glared at him menacingly but relaxed slightly. She was still wary of him but she toned it down. Her time at the school had only increased her amount of paranoia and she was on edge as she looked around worriedly. She expected Erasers to leap out of nowhere and try to attack her; she could feel her muscles tense at every sound she heard in the forest.

"Fine." She snapped before looking around with narrowed eyes,"Where are we?" She asked before her frown deepened.

Dylan ran a hand through his grimy hair,"Somewhere on the border of Colorado."

"How did I get here? I don't remember waking up after the shockers came in." She muttered in confusion before slowly putting a hand on the back of her head. A large numb was located there and it hurt to touch it. She grimaced and pulled away before glancing at the burns on her arms.

Dylan rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly,"I uh...carried you..." He said in slight embarrassment and Max looked at him in shock.

"The schools in Arizona and you flew me to Colorado? With supplies for survival?" She asked in disbelief as she watched him with annoyance. He was quite the hotshot wasn't he?

Dylan sighed in frustration of her skepticism,"I told you, I was injected with bear DNA making me pretty strong. I took a few breaks here and there but you were out for a long time. I wanted to get away from the school as quickly as possible. Besides, you're not heavy." He shrugged,"Pretty light actually...probably from malnourishment." At the word malnourishment Max's stomach roared for food.

Her eyes widened,"Whoops! Looks like I could go for some burgers or something-" She froze as she began shaking violently. Dylan looked at her in slight panic as she dropped to the ground and let out a scream. What was happening to her? She barely noticed Dylan trying to help her as she heard the snap of several bones. She gritted her teeth as new nails broke through her regular ones, the pain was excruciating and she trembled. Letting out a hiss the pain vanished and she lay there stiffly.

Dylan blinked, as he remained crouched next to Max worriedly,"Max," He said nervously as he put a hand on her cheek and gently shook her. She remained unmoving and Dylan grimaced before one of his ears twitched. Her heartbeat had suddenly increased rapidly meaning she was still alive but something was happening.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, they were in slits like a cat's and she let out a roar before jumping to her feet and taking a swipe at Dylan. His eyes widened and he ducked just in time before rolling away from her. She was on all fours and her back was arched like a cat's, her hands had gotten slightly bigger and she bared her sharp teeth at him savagely. Her claws were out and she...had a tiger tail. He looked at it in shock and gaped openly about her sudden transformation. He hadn't seen Max's tiger side yet.

"Max...are you okay? Do you want food?" He asked slowly and she looked flat out angry...as usual. She let out another roar before turning and bounding off into the woods. Max couldn't think straight as she let out a snarl and ran faster threw the woods.

Dylan blinked and grimaced as he pondered what to do, go after the angry tiger girl, or let her run rampant through the jungle. She could kill anyone who decided that today would be the perfect time to go walking or something. He huffed in annoyance as he raced after her.

Max wasn't in her right mind. The only thing she could think about was the loud pulse of a deer and the smell of blood coming from it, the animal was wounded and she was absolutely starving. She could here it's heartbeat rapidly and she let out a snarl as she sprinted faster. Her claws sunk into the earth propelling herself forward even faster. Her teeth were bared and her tail lashed back and forth. Its warm meat was so close she could almost taste it. She got closer and closer and noticed it limping away. She let out a roar and it panicked as it tried to move faster but it was futile. Max launched herself into the air and sunk her claws into its back making it bleat in pain. It was a large buck and her mouth watered as she leaned down and ripped its jugular out.

Dylan had no idea she could move so fast. He slowed to a jog when he heard a snarl and looked around warily. He was mixed with a bear and relied on his nose more than he did on his eyesight. He sniffed the air and the smell of deer wafted in the air making his stomach rumble. He heard the snap of a branch and he bared his teeth at the looming threat of the foreign animal. Before he knew it a blonde blur tackled him to the ground and he fell flat on his back. She put her clawed hand on his chest and her other one near his face. Her mouth was stained with blood and she was breathing heavily as she glared at him murderously.

He let out a nervous chuckle,"Max its me! Dylan! Hey, calm down all right? You obviously ate-" He froze as she assessed him warily. Her head tilted to the side as she gave him another sniff. She smelled like peaches, he noted and suddenly she leaped off him. Her fangs morphed back into regular canines, her claws sheathed themselves, and her tail vanished. She looked mortified as she wiped the blood from her lips.

"What the heck was that!" She had eaten raw meat that she had killed. She was going crazy. She griped her head tightly and paced around in anxiety. Was that normal? Heck, she wasn't normal so how should she know anymore? She looked at the deer carcass and there was nothing left but some fur, bones, and blood. She had eaten that unbelievably fast.

Dylan rolled to his feet,"At least you're not hungry anymore." She shot him a murderous glare and he paled,"Too soon?"

She groaned before rubbing her temples,"Look, whatever that was lets just hope that doesn't happen again." She muttered. She couldn't dwell on it any longer, she had only one goal and that was to return to the flock. "Dylan, I have a group of kids like us. I have to get back to them right now. You can come with us or stay behind. Frankly I don't care," She said bluntly,"I just need to get back to them." The fourteen year old crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the tree as she looked at the boy expectantly.

To her frustration he shook his head,"We can't Max. Look, the Erasers will be tailing us for a while. We're more important to them then," He stopped himself from saying the flock, he was never supposed to know that name,"your friends. If we go to them we put them in danger." He said slowly and Max bristled and felt overwhelming anger swallow her. Why wasn't anything working out? She was saved but despite her newfound freedom she still couldn't find the could feel her claws sliding out from under her nails and she gritted her teeth before whirling around and stalking away. Dylan sighed as he watched her leave, he followed a distance away, he knew Max needed some time to herself and he would let her have it.

Max wanted to be with the flock again but she knew the consequences of this. What if they were with the flock and the Erasers came? They would swipe her and Dylan before killing the rest of them. She had to think past her selfish desires, which was hard. She just wanted her family back, was that too much to ask? When could she be happy again? She felt stress begin to suffocate her and she breathed heavily to calm herself. It wasn't fair. She tried so hard to survive in the School and now she couldn't even get rewarded with seeing her loved ones?

She didn't look where she was going before she slammed into someone. She barely moved and the boy below her staggered backwards. He looked to be around five years old and was a cute kid. He had brown hair and light blue eyes. He had torn clothing and looked up at her fearfully.

She frowned,"What's a kid like you doing out here?" She muttered and the boy was trembling in fear.

"I...I-" He stopped and trembled even harder. His pupils vanished in the back of his skull and he dropped to the ground. She could only see the whites of his eyes and her eyes widened as she took step towards him.

Max kneeled down to him worriedly and put a hand on her forehead,"Kid? Hey can you hear me?" It was a dumb question and she knew that but she was desperate. She had no clue about what she was going to do. She knew she had to help the five year old however. But how? His face slowly morphed into a wolfish one and she leaped backwards startled. He was an Eraser.

He let out a scream,"Help me!" He withered in agony and hair erupted on his arms. His screams turned into howls and he clawed at the earth in pain.

Max clenched her jaw and her anger flared as she looked away from him; there was nothing she could do, how could any one do this to a little kid? How did she know that the School didn't put him up to this? He was so conveniently close to their location after she and Dylan had gotten out of the School. What if it was a trap? She couldn't block out his wails and threw a hand over her ears. His howls were too loud! They hurt her new, sensitive ears and she hissed as she fell to her knees next to the boy. Her compassion overcame her suspicion and she reached out to him and grabbed his hand. He squeezed her's tightly and she winced, that Eraser strength was ridiculous. Her ears were pounding from the noise but she kept firm while holding his hand. She was still extremely paranoid about the boy but no one deserved that kind of pain, she just experienced something similar and she knew it hurt.

"Max what's going on?" Dylan called out as he ran to her and the boy. He grimaced at the grotesque noises of the Eraser boy and gritted his teeth, his ears felt like they would start bleeding at any minute. Max didn't answer as she yelped; his claws appeared and dug into her hand. She wanted to pull away but she stayed strong and used her other arm to scoop him into her lap. Her motherly nature overcame her as she held him close to her.

"It'll be okay." She murmured and he let out a cry. Sweat beaded down his forehead and tears cascaded down his cheeks. She had never seen such a young Eraser, it was strange and she couldn't comprehend why the white coats had done this. Usually they leaped forward like years, they could be eight but look like a twenty year old. Maybe the boy was a failed experiment? He was shaking as if he was struck by lighting and he let out whimpers.

Dylan grimaced,"I'll go get him some water."

Max frowned,"We have water?"

Dylan chuckled,"And food. I was trying to tell you that before you tried to eat me." He joked and Max rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the boy. She began talking to him to try to calm him down, he was still shaking but he seemed to loosen up as he listened to her talk.

"You know, earlier I just went crazy like you did. I'm queen of the freaks. While you turn into a wolf I turn into a tiger and I have wings." She chuckled weakly; her hand was hurting a lot from his claws. "Crazy right? I know it hurts. Hang in there okay?" She murmured and his blue eyes looked at her in fear. She knew he wasn't afraid of her just the situation. "Actually I just ate a deer...a whole deer raw! I'm crazy you know." The boy let out a small grin and suddenly stopped moving. He was breathing heavily and his wolfish features seemed to slowly vanish. He looked back to normal and he just curled up closer to her.

He was shaking from the pain but it wasn't serious,"I...I...I'm a wolf." He whispered. He was drenched in sweat and his eyes were red from crying.

Max smiled softly at him,"And I'm a cat." He looked sickly pale,"What's your name kid?"

He frowned,"M-My name?"

She nodded,"Yeah...I mean if you don't like it or something you can make it up." She shrugged, that's what her and the flock had done. He appeared to be okay, as he looked lost in thought. The child seemed to be too innocent to be working for the School but she remained wary of him. He had finally released her hand that was oozing blood but she ignored it.

"My name is..." He trailed off and looked around before a smile spread across his face,"Ratchet!" He exclaimed and Max chuckled before standing up with him in her arms.

"Nice to meet you Ratchet. Can you walk on your own?" She asked, the boy smelled sweet to her. As if he had taken a bath in Jolly Ranchers.

He nodded and she slowly set him down,"Thank you." He said quietly before looking around,"Where's Jeb?" Max froze when she heard the name and she frowned.

"Jeb? Did he help you escape or something?" She asked and she began to tone down her suspicions, if Jeb had helped him escape then he was bound to be good. He couldn't be working for the School if he had been freed by her fatherly figure like she and Dylan had.

"Yeah-" He stopped abruptly and covered his ears with his hands and squeezed his eyes shut. "Ah!" He yelled and Max bent down towards him in concern.

"Hey! Kid what's wrong?" She asked urgently.

He shook his head vigorously,"I...I can hear cars honking! They're so loud!" He hissed and Max frowned while listening carefully, she didn't hear anything.

"What's happening now?" She asked curiously.

He looked up at her seriously,"I'm not allowed to repeat that word. They keep screaming it as they honk." He grumbled and Max raised her eyebrows. "And...ugh they smell awful! The guy...he stinks." His eyes snapped open wider and he looked at Max in confusion,"What's this mean?" He asked as he raised his middle finger in the air,"That man keeps doing it." Max gaped at him before closing his finger quickly and whirling around, who and what was he looking at?

"What are-"

Ratchet frowned,"Don't you see them? On the highway?" He asked expectantly and her eyebrows rose in shock.

"You...you have heightened senses. That's your mutation thing! Incredible." She breathed, whatever the scientist had done to this Eraser they made him pretty amazing. His senses were far better than hers and Dylan's.

Ratchet winced,"Everything is so loud...and you smell like fruit...and gross stuff." He wrinkled his nose and Max let out a laugh.

"Sorry kid, I haven't been able to shower for a long time." She was in hysterics; she had missed laughing that hard. It wasn't even funny; she was just relieved and happy. She was happy. Ratchet was this super sensing Eraser who was adorable, he somewhat reminded her of Angel and she could feel a small void being filled. The longing to see her flock diminished slightly. Yes she still craved to see them but Ratchet made the pain more bearable.

Ratchet beamed at her before looking at his feet awkwardly,"So...can...can I stay with you?" He muttered and looked up at her hopefully. Though her paranoia was still a bit overwhelming she had more trust in Ratchet now that she had known him better. She looked at him closely, it was obvious his ears still hurt as he winced every so often; he looked fearful that she would say no. She glanced down at her hand that had a large gash in it but the bleeding had slowed tremendously, she was a pretty fast healer. She could teach him to fight; he'd be extremely useful especially if he could see Erasers coming from miles away.

She held out her good hand with a smile,"Welcome to the flock." Ratchet grinned and took it. Dylan suddenly appeared with a bottle of water and frowned at the two of them.

"Uhhh...the flock? We're really being called the flock now?" He asked as he handed Ratchet the water and eyed him warily.

Max snorted,"What do you want to be called the animals?"

He pondered if for a moment before grinning,"The X-men!"

Max couldn't help it; she let out a small laugh,"I'm pretty sure that name is trademarked. The flock sounds good, it's the name of my old group...who we will return to soon." She said pointedly.

Dylan rolled his eyes,"The kid obviously doesn't have wings so how would that work? That and I don't want to copy your old group." He said rather grumpily and Max sighed.

"Well-"

"The pack!" Ratchet declared and the two looked at him in surprise. Wasn't a bad name.

Dylan grinned,"The pack...I like it...what's your name?" He asked, if Max trusted the Eraser than he might as well trust him too. Besides the kid was about five. If he turned out to be evil they wouldn't have that much of a problem handling him.

Ratchet puffed out his chest proudly,"Ratchet! I made it up myself!" He unscrewed the lid to his water bottle and downed it quickly.

Dylan raised an eyebrow,"Ratchet? That's-" Max's glare cut him off and Dylan put on a sugar sweet smile while somewhat returning her cold look with one of his own. "Awesome!" He said enthusiastically. Max smirked and Ratchet nodded and the trio walked back to the campsite. Maybe Max could survive without the flock for a little longer.

**Yes I brought in Ratchet from Fang's gang, not a huge OC fan. Uh so review and stuff. Can't decide if this is Mylan or Fax but at the moment I'm not worried about it. **


	3. Chapter 3

"Shut up!" Max snarled as she lunged at the blonde haired boy across from her. The two slammed into the ground and Max felt her claws unsheathe and she tried to scratch him. Dylan's eyes widened and he bared his now sharper teeth at her as he shoved her off him. She flew backwards but her more agile body twisted in the air causing her to gracefully land on her feet. She bared her teeth as well and fangs protruded from her mouth just like it did Dylan's. She assessed him warily as he loomed over her menacingly. He'd most certainly be stronger than her but she was faster, more agile and light on her feet. Bears weren't known for grace.

"Calm down!" He snapped as his own claws extended. They were longer than hers and black, they were about as thick as hers two and even his fang size rivaled hers. Her senses sharpened and her enhanced eyesight noticed the way his eyes darted to her body, trying to find away to bring her down gently, oh no way she'd be that susceptible to Mr. Perfect.

"Don't you tell me to calm down! Not after what you said-"

"I didn't mean it!" He growled and a hiss escaped her lips.

"Then why'd you say it?" She pressed as she looked for an opening in his defense. Her stubbornness and anger was raging as she glared at the boy before her.

"I wasn't thinking..." His glare became even more heated,"And you overreacted-"

"Oh I'll show you overreacted!" She roared as she lunged at him again. He wasn't suspecting her speed and her claws sunk ruthlessly into his chest. He fell on his back and grunted loudly in pain before grabbing her arms. He was stronger than her, he ripped her off of him and he threw her savagely into a tree. She slammed into it full force and her head began to spin. Ow. She stumbled to her feet despite her aching body and crouched down into a defensive position. Her back was arched and her wings appeared, her tail came out...goodness that was embarrassing, and another roar escaped her lips as red blurred her vision.

Dylan hunched his shoulders and planted himself firmly as he stood tall...much like a grizzly,"Max!" His tone laced with authority and acrimony,"Stop before I hurt you!"

Arrogance and even more fury swept over her,"I'd love to see you try pretty boy!" She snarled before charging at him again. He expected her to attempt to tackle him but at the last moment she flapped her wings and flew over his head. Her hand brutally smacked into his face making him stumble and grit his teeth as he felt blood seep from his forehead. Anger consumed him as he watched her land and he ran towards her.

She smirked and ducked under one of his blows only for her to get a sharp upper cut to the chin. She yelped and reeled backwards before her anger grew and she let out a snarl. She backed up and spit the blood out of her mouth. She tucked her wings into her back and faked to the right. He fell for it and took a swing for the direction she was pretending to attack in. She used his disadvantage and leaped high into the air, her legs wrapped around his neck and her weight sent him falling. She quickly got off him right before he hit the ground and made an attempt to stomp on his face. Stupid no good freak, she thought snidely.

But before she could stomp on the slightly dazed boy a voice spoke out,"Stop!" She froze with her foot still high in the air. She blinked rapidly as she began to fall out of her animalistic state. The scent of blood washed over her nose and she recoiled from Dylan as if he had given her another punch to the face.

A disappointed Ratchet shook his head at the two,"Guys this is the third time this week. Could you two for once just stop!" He snapped as he balled his hands into fists,"It hurts my ears!" He wailed as he rubbed his forehead,"And your blood smells gross and...ugh!" He yelled in frustration. Guilt and shame washed over Max as she smelled his emotions. Anger, sadness...fear. She and Dylan scared him when they fought like they did. They put a strain on his senses and it wasn't fair to him that they fought over such petty affairs. Dylan rolled to his feet, blood pouring from his forehead and chest, sweat beaded down his face and he was breathing heavily.

Max tore her gaze from Dylan and sighed as she approached the little boy quietly,"Sorry Rach." She murmured as she bent down and hugged him tightly. Goodness, she felt like Dylan broke her friggen jaw, and her body ached from being slammed into the tree. Her claws went back into fingernails and her teeth shrunk to their normal size. Her wings were out of sight and her tiger tail vanished entirely much to her relief. Ratchet sighed wearily as he wrapped his scrawny arms around her neck and clung to her.

"I forgive you." The little boy murmured before he pulled away and looked at her expectantly,"Just stick to yelling at each other." He grumbled before planting a kiss on her cheek and walking back to their tent. Max sighed as she watched the five year old vanish into the tent. She wasn't making his life any easier, life with the Pack had put a strain on her. Her craving to see Angel had died down tremendously over the past week as she spent more time with Ratchet but nonetheless she missed the little girl. She missed the entire flock but being with Ratchet eased some of her anxiety. Dylan however, caused her a lot of problems. Sometimes he was okay but he just loved provoking her. He taunted her constantly and would occasionally bad mouth the Flock anytime she mentioned them. They had physically fought multiple times and gosh her body hurt constantly.

She blamed it on his personality, her stubbornness and anger, and their new animal DNA. Tigers and Bears were very solitary creatures. Both rulers of the domains they lived in, two alphas in their prime put together was bloodshed waiting to happen. Both too set in their ways to let the other have the last laugh. Dominance was the key factor of their fights. Once they started they didn't stop, even when they drew blood, Max and Dylan were natural leaders making it hard for them to get along most of the time. They were so similar that it was scary and Max didn't like it.

"I suppose I should apologize for my...comment." A rough voice muttered and Max turned around to see Dylan standing there stiffly.

She snorted,"Yeah I suppose you should." She defiantly crossed her arms over her chest and Dylan bristled.

"Would you cut it out!" He snapped,"Your stubbornness will get us nowhere...I'm trying to apologize-"

"And you deserve an Oscar for your acting," Max quipped,"Your sincerity is _very _convincing." She grumbled sarcastically and a small smile spread on his lips.

"Your sass knows no bounds...does it Maxi poo?" He cooed and her eyes narrowed.

"What did you call me?"

"You heard me." He wore a smirk now and she gritted her teeth.

"Don't call me that...bark face." It was her turn to smirk as he scowled at her.

"I run into a tree while flying one time!" He muttered in exasperation while throwing his hands into the air. He calmed slightly and ran a hand through his hair,"Look Max, lets just try to...I dunno be friends?" He offered but it sounded like a question,"We can't keep doing this to Rach and you know that as well as I do. Heck the kid adores you." Dylan chuckled, he liked how good with kids Max was. She was like a dotting mother and Ratchet ate up her attention greedily. Constantly asking for her to tell her a story before bed, demanding to be kissed on the head and tucked in at night, plopping himself in her lap anytime she was sitting down because he knew she would hug him to her. She was obsessed with the boy, he was adorable, but she completely adored him and gave him her undivided attention.

Their bond had grown drastically within the week they had met each other. Ratchet thought Dylan was okay, Dylan knew that the boy was wary of him but nonetheless he treated Ratchet like he would a little brother. He would ruffle his hair on occasion and once took him out hunting. The two were coming along alright but couldn't touch what Ratchet and Max had.

Max pursed her lips, as much as she wanted to let her hard headedness out and punch Dylan in the face she knew she couldn't, she had to try harder for Ratchet. What's the harm in trying to be pretty boy's friend?

"Fine...we'll give it a try." She then gave him a heated glare,"But if you say one more thing about the flock I won't hesitate to kick your butt again." She said scathingly and Dylan narrowed his eyes.

"How do you defend them?" He snorted,"They didn't even attempt to rescue you." He pointed out bitterly and she gritted her teeth.

"It would have been too dangerous, they shouldn't have attempted and that's good."

"You would have risked your life for theirs...why wouldn't they do the same for you? You speak so highly of them and if they really loved you they would have fought tooth and nail to get you back. But instead they didn't." He snapped,"I saved your life, me, a total stranger. Jeb helped us escape but I was the one that carried you away from all that." He looked so angry and Max stood there as if she had been socked in the stomach. She couldn't help but hear the utter truth in his words and she swallowed thickly.

She shook her head vigorously,"No...they knew it was too dangerous-"

"They shouldn't have cared!" He yelled and was in her face now with his blue eyes darkening furiously,"You and I both know that family never gives up on each other." He crossed his arms over his chest before taking a step away from her. A sigh escaped his lips,"Max," He spoke softer now and his eyes lightened up as he looked at her somberly,"as much as you probably don't like this we're your family now. Me and Ratchet...and yes maybe its a bit early for me to be considering us three a big happy family," There was acerbity in his voice as he scowled,"but I'm new to the whole teamwork thing and...I like what we've got." He confessed as he looked at her imploringly,"So until we go back stop talking about the Flock okay? You're not doing yourself any favors moping." He spat suddenly angered again before turning on his heel and stalking away. His shoulder were hunched over and his steps were heavy as he lumbered away...like a bear. Max stood there dumbfounded as a feeling of guilt overcame her.

Dylan, though she'd never admit it, was right. She couldn't keep dwelling on the flock, she'd get home to them soon, but she thought of what he said about family. The flock was probably in a bad position to come get her...for three months their lives must have sucked. Anger sparked through her and she kicked viciously at a pebble beneath her feet. Family is supposed to come for each other...why didn't they come for her? If Angel had been kidnapped she wouldn't have hesitated to save her little baby. But she took Angel's place and now the flock didn't even care. They made no attempts to save her and it weighed heavily on her heart. They were supposed to be there.

-Line Break-

The Pack sat near the fire as night consumed the once blue sky. The darkness vomited stars into the sky and the moon shown brightly overhead. Max sat with Ratchet in her lap and Dylan sat across from the two eyeing the oblivious Max occasionally.

He still didn't know what to think of the blonde. She was extremely pulchritudinous, what with her hazel colored eyes, creamy pale skin, and bright blonde hair. She was in athletic shape, had a couple scars on her face making her look tough but didn't deter his physical attraction, and her smile was gorgeous. Her personality however threw him off. When she was around Ratchet and being a motherly figure towards him Dylan could see why he was made for her, she was...amazing and caring and sweet. But when she was around him she was insufferable. He wanted a sledgehammer to pound her face in. Though he did like the challenge, her hard headedness matched his to a T and her determination was admirable.

But she was constantly picking fights and overreacted towards his jokes...and his insults about the stupid flock. He loathed the Flock, they lacked persistence and the balls to save their family member, what could Max possibly see in them? She still spoke of them as if they were angels when in fact she was more of one than her alleged family would ever be. She purposefully blinded herself to the thought of her precious flock not caring for her as much as she did them and never showed them any ill will and her loyalty like her determination was admirable.

"And then there was the one time I punched a white coat in the face!" Max boasted,"He didn't know what hit him! I nearly escaped but they caught me." Her smile became strained but Ratchet couldn't see that. Max ran a hand through his light brown hair and and he leaned even more against her as one of his tiny hands grabbed hers.

"Then what happened?" He asked curiously.

_I was beat with shock rods,_"I got put back in my cage." She lied and bit her lip as she stared into the fire. She didn't like thinking about it.

Ratchet huffed,"Dumb white coats! I wish I could have been there to help you!" He exclaimed,"I would have helped you beat them up!"

Max smiled,"I'm sure they'd be terrified of you." She murmured warmly and Ratchet beamed up at her as he snuggled his head more into her chest.

"They better!" Max chuckled before kissing his forehead lovingly.

"We should get you to bed." Right as she said this he let out a yawn and her smile broadened. It felt great having a little baby to take care of again. He was certainly no Angel, but there was something about him that made her absolutely adore him. But with a cute boy like Ratchet what wasn't there to love?

"M'kay...next time I want a happier story." He grumbled as he rubbed his eye,"One where you beat everyone up and escape!" He enthused and she picked him up effortlessly and planted a kiss on his nose making him giggle.

"Okay, I'll tell you that story next time." She consented and he nodded before his eyes drooped. Dylan watched the dangerous, sassy, irritable Maximum Ride carry the boy away while swinging him around in the air. He giggled again and held onto her tightly as she spun around and finally gently laid him into the tent. Dylan smiled, he liked that side of Max, he wanted to see more of that from her. She'd be a great mom.

"What are you smiling at?" Her voice brought his attention back to the matter at hand and he straightened slightly before wiping the grin off his face. She sat back down across from him and her hair seemed to turn golden in the light of the fire. A mask covered her emotions, but not a very good one, he could read her like a book.

He shrugged,"I like your relationship with Ratchet...when are you gonna start giving me kisses on the forehead and tucking me into bed?" He asked innocently and Max rolled her eyes.

"Never, even if you were the last man on earth." She snapped and he feigned a look of hurt.

He put his hand dramatically to his chest,"Oh but my dearest Maxi! We both know how handsome I am," He smirked,"I think you'd love to have me all to yourself." He playfully winked at her and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I'd rather die."

"I think you'd rather make out with me." He quipped and to his delight he saw a blush light up her cheeks.

"I think I'd rather shoot you in the face or rip your throat out." She shot back and his eyebrows shot upwards.

"Ever heard of a joke Max?" He sighed and she noticeably relaxed before running a hand through her hair.

"Sorry." She said curtly and Dylan clenched his jaw. He stood to his feet and walked over to her before sitting down beside her.

"Tell me about yourself." She seemed surprised, usually he joked or flirted but he looked at her seriously as he rested his chin on his fist. His eyebrows drawn together and his blue eyes stared at her curiously. She couldn't deny that Dylan was attractive, she questioned his personality but right now she was glad he laid off the jokes he so usually used.

"Not much to tell." She shrugged and he rolled his eyes.

"You're part bird and tiger, raised as a guinea pig...a strong willed guinea pig to an organization that has wolf men for security. How don't you have much to tell?" He snorted and she couldn't help but chuckle slightly. His wording was great. He perked, he got her to laugh.

"Fine," She said carelessly as she looked at him with a small smile,"I love snow."

He grinned showing more of his handsome features,"Now we're getting somewhere! Me too! I like to stomp in it and leave big footprints! Or make snow angles!" He chuckled,"Literally! I let my wings out and make a giant snow angel!" Max laughed at this, she should try to sometime. Though she couldn't remember loving snow before. Tigers had really thick fur...and winter was really nice for them.

She joyously thought of the Flock,"What about snowball fights?" She asked earnestly and his grin nearly split his face.

"Of course! Snowmen?" He questioned and Max thought back to when she and Gazzy made a snowman together.

"All the time!" She didn't think she'd hit it off so quickly with Dylan. When he wasn't being obnoxious he wasn't too bad. "I never did thank you for rescuing me did I?" She mused as she thought back to him blatantly pointing out how _he _saved her...not the _flock _or_ Fang. _And the thought saddened her, she didn't want to think of them now.

"Nope, but that's fine Max. I would have tried to save you regardless." He wanted to hit his head against a wall for saying that. The whole soulmate thing was weird and he didn't need to freak out Max by saying any of that crap.

She tilted her head to the side in confusion,"Why?"

He wet his lips,"You're Maximum Ride...you're tough and brave and selfless. You have a great purpose...that and I'm not sure if I would have survived without you." He really needed to stop talking.

Max coughed awkwardly,"Well anyway thanks for breaking me free from hell. I'm going to go turn in...night." She got up quickly and scampered to the tent before diving in. She didn't want to get too close to Dylan the stranger. He was temporary.

"WOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOO!" Ratchet yelled as he clung to Max for dear life. She gracefully flew through the air and flipped and twirled with ease making the little boy in her arms clap his hands in delight,"GO MAX!" The wind whistled through her ears and she soaked in the warmth of the sun as she flew upwards. She breathed in the fresh smell of ozone and sighed in contentment. She hadn't flown in such a long time. Her pitch black wings contrasted with the light blue sky. It was almost as if her wings sighed with relief as they flapped and strongly carried the two through the air. She felt powerful. Her wings held raw strength as they lifted the two higher and higher into the air.

She laughed,"Hang on Rach!" Suddenly tucked her wings in and the two began falling. Max flipped to her back,"Hold onto my stomach." She instructed and he squeezed her into a hug. Her arms let go of him and she spread them out. Ratchet looked down at the falling world in awe and squealed as they fell through a cloud. Him and Max became soaked and he closed his eyes in slight serenity.

He loved being so high up into the air. He couldn't smell anything but Max, he could barely hear the noises, and there was nothing but blue skies for him to see. It was bliss for the sensitive child and he thought Max was the coolest as she wrapped her arms around him and whirled back around. Her wings snapped out and the two slowed to a glide. Ratchet was now securely being cradled by Max again and smiled widely at the never ending blue sky and clouds surrounding them. He loved flying.

"This is awesome!" He screamed. Max had promised to take him flying and it was the coolest thing ever.

She smiled,"I know." She felt serene and elated to be flying again.

When the two landed Max gently set Ratchet down. Once out of her arms he stumbled a bit before bouncing excitedly.

"Thanks for taking me flying!" He said giddily and Max grinned before ruffling his hair affectionately. She honestly didn't have many reasons to be happy anymore. The flock abandoned her, she had endured three months of torture, she was still separated from her family, and Jeb had gone MIA yet again. But Ratchet gave her a reason to smile again. The bubbly, five year old had easily become a large part of her life within the week she's known him, what could she say? She was a sucker for little kids with cute smiles.

"Anytime Rach, did you do your training with Dylan this morning?" She had forgot to ask him. Every morning he would either train with her or Dylan incase the Erasers found them. And by how long it was taking Max knew they'd be found soon. Things were a little too peaceful.

He nodded his head vigorously,"Of course!" He exclaimed and Max ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Good! Wait...where is Dylan-" She hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings before a yelp that emitted from her mouth as someone heavy tackled her. Her hands prevented her from face planting but nonetheless her chest and stomach hurt.

The weight was off her and laughter was heard,"Max I expected better!" She groaned as the blonde haired culprit gently pulled her to her feet. She whirled around and nearly lunged at him before she saw Ratchet laughing hysterically along with Dylan. This made her pause as the boy leaned against the older teen who wrapped and arm around his shoulders as the two continued to laugh. She relaxed slightly and couldn't help but feel at ease by the seen.

"Yes Max I expected better." A mocking voice snarled and her eyes widened and she tensed as she whirled around. There stood Ari with his a Eraser gang, he grinned deviously as he towered over her and clenched his fists in anticipation. Her first thought was to bolt, grab Ratchet and Dylan and leave as soon as possible.

But she felt a more lethal side overcome her. No. She was in charge, she called the shots, she was the predator. She was too strong to be the weak prey that ran all the time. She was the tiger, and Ari was her scared deer, she felt a smirk overcome her and her claws unsheathed. Her fangs sharpened tremendously and her hand shot out and grabbed his throat making him gag as she squeezed it maliciously.

She gave him a fanged smile,"I'll show you better."

**I'll go back and correct stuff. **


End file.
